starlight
by silver moon droplet
Summary: aerithsquall.: they're not smiling under their fake veneer.


She finds herself crying quietly in the corner of the street, her clothes ripped and her world broken – shatter glass in the dark streets. Their yellow eyes flicker to her, and she knows that they can hear her heart quicken with each step they take. And she isn't screaming or fighting – she runs. She runs like hell, and that's when the chase really begins. It wasn't always like this, she wasn't always alone – their faces flashes in her mind, even lingers. Laughing at her, and fighting with her, it was a perfect world then. Even in the darkness, they were there, so it wasn't so bad.

But now she's all alone.

They rip at her again, and she cries out in pain – the chase is coming to an end. Her eyes closes, and she remembers this nightmare so well, she wakes up screaming before they could finish her.

-- &

Her eyes were red, and her Ninja friend slept in her arms – unaware that the one who was protecting her from her nightmares, was having some of her own. She looks out the window, the darkness was still there, and she wonders how long until she could see the starry nights. The door creeps open, and she freezes – her heart racing, and she wishes she knew where her staff was.

"_Aerith_?" he whispers, the door cracks open just enough to make out his figure, Squall. She sighs with relief, the ninja cradles closer to her, like a child to her mother. Her hand still holding on to her braid, gripping it like a lifeline. Aerith smiles, moving her hair out of her eyes watching Yuffie shift in her sleep. Squall walks over to them, as quiet as a mouse. "Is she alright, I thought heard her scream…"

Aerith is thankful for the dark, thankful that it hides her at her weakness point.

"She's fine." And she hears him let out a sigh of relief, one that can't be expressed in the light, because that's where they have to be the strongest. Yuffie shifts again, causing them both to stop everything, it had been so long since she had slept so peacefully. Even magic wouldn't help, but tonight here she was cuddled into Aerith, holding onto her so tightly being watched over her by those who loved her best.

"How are you holding up?" he asks. And she thinks about all the things she should say, all the things he needs to hear – but here, right now in this moment, she was tired of hiding under her mask.

But that doesn't stop her from doing it anyway.

"Fine." The white lie seems true, almost true enough to believe, if it weren't for her voice that cracks. It would have just fallen into the darkness, just like everything else in her life. It cracked, and she knew he heard it, and slowly very slowly the tears starts and she can't stop. Her body sobbing before she could control the motion, how she long to be lost forever in the darkness. He searches for her in the darkness, he grabs her hand, and she hides her face in his chest, the only thing that was keeping them truly apart is Yuffie between them. Tears fall on her cheeks, but the girl doesn't stir – she is too deep in her dreams, far too deep to pay any mind.

He lets her cry without saying anything, which is just what she needs. "He promised, he promised."

"Promised what?"

"That'd he back, with starry night skies…" she looks up at him in the darkness, only seeing the outline of his face. "He promised me starry night skies…" she whispers, making it more true to herself then anything. Because she knows, that the darkness has him, and he isn't coming back.

"You'll get starry night skies." He whispers, his breath so warm and his voice so soothing. She closes her eyes, and she lets herself believe it, that someday they would all overcome the darkness… and his promise would come true. Even if it wasn't his to promise.

She kisses the outline of his face, and he finds her lips – the darkness hides their secrets, fears, doubts and their kisses. She rests her head on his shoulder, her eyelids shutting knowing that she won't have anymore more nightmares tonight.

-- &

e nd.

YAY SOMETHING THAT IS A BILLION PAGES LONG! You know I really prefer aerithcloud. Or squall.yuffie. But this was a nice piece to write, and it's for Loren's contest my prompt was "You promised starry night skies." Obviously changed a bit, but it works right? BUT FWEE. MAJOR THANKS TO; jessface for reading it and being all CHANGE THIS YO. Making fics better one IM at a time.

disclaimers ; You're full of soap.


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